This wave of ice and and snow is converging upon us before I depart for the warmer west coast. So, I’m totally thrilled. I was putting on my winter coat this morning and stopped for a moment to be thankful for it. I haven’t always had good coats and shoes. I feel hashtagblessed but in a real, not fake way. The baby flakes have started and I’m going to grab my #1 son. Be safe out there!

Being grounded is important to me. This marker is old and centering. Do we need a huge monument or a grand gesture to take a moment to give ourselves compassion? Not really. Compassion is pocket-sized, portable. It is right here. Why, if thirsty, would we not drink.

I’ve been using this app. It helps me to relax when I’m feeling jumpy. I am not prone to pink but having a Millennial Pink wall is somewhat comforting as are fuzzy slippers and the duvet. There are many options within the daily practice but one is to draw a card. Today, I drew The Empress; my mother (insert reasons for anxiety) would not be happy to see a tarot card within the vicinity of me. They are what you make of them. I would like to believe I can care for my family without overlooking myself, but I need practice.

I wrote up my travel plan for this year. It involves 26 flights and 11 lost days of child custody, which I hope to regain over the summer. I ran into a coworker yesterday who has been traveling about as much as me but internationally. He said he has had to stop traveling out on Saturday and returning Sunday. Everyone needs their personal time. Boundaries are necessary and it’s okay to give back to yourself in support of self-preservation. Who else will?

I got a Pocket Posh Logic book for Christmas, which I’m very much looking forward to using as I fly high above the country this year. There’s only so much ‘flix a girl can watch. The answer key in the back is full of wordy, well-explained reasoning. My belief is, if you practice yourself into something new, your brain will make room for it. And why not stretch that mighty thing a bit?

I am searching for a voice coach. A few people on Nextdoor have responded. Not auditioning for American Idol. Just working some self-improvement. Why not.